Blasphemy Report by National Human Rights Commission 2024

CAPC is writing with great urgency to seek your financial support in the case of a young man in Pakistan who has been wrongfully accused of blasphemy after falling victim to a deliberate honey trap—a deeply troubling and increasingly common method used to exploit Pakistan’s blasphemy laws for personal, financial, or political gain.

The accused, Ishtiaq Saleem, is a 32-year-old man from the Christian minority with no prior criminal history. The Federal Investigating Agency dramatically arrested Ishtiaq on November 29, 2022, and he was booked under Cyber Crime offences for allegedly sharing defamatory images of Mohammad. Unknown to him, the young woman, Imran, who lured him to his arrest, was a part of a WhatsApp group intent on entrapment, in which selective screenshots and manipulated content are weaponized to level a blasphemy accusation—a charge that in Pakistan can lead to arbitrary detention, social ruin, extrajudicial killing regardless of its truth, and the death penalty if convicted.

This is not an isolated case but part of a dangerous trend. The use of online honey traps to provoke or fabricate blasphemy allegations has emerged as a new tactic in silencing dissent, settling scores, or targeting vulnerable youth. Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), initiated an independent inquiry into the matter from October 2023 to October 2024. The report from their investigation highlights deeply disturbing trends, including the sharp escalation of such honey traps which have targeted more than 800 youth, disregard of due process, and significant procedural violations.

The report can also be found in the link above https://nchr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Blasphemy-Report-Oct-2024.pdf

Without immediate intervention, the future of this young man, his wife and small child, and possibly his life, is at grave risk. We are seeking:

1. Emergency legal and Humanitarian funding to secure experienced, independent counsel.
2. International advocacy to ensure due process and protect the accused.

Our organization’s mandate—to protect victims of religious persecution and defend fundamental freedoms—positions us as a critical ally in this effort. International attention can shift the legal and public dynamics in cases like these, and your added support would be a decisive act of solidarity.

For more information and documentations contact us at email: nadeem@capc.life

Thank you for considering this urgent and life-saving appeal.

. All donations are income tax deductible.